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v (No Model.) I 2 SheetsSheet 1. W. R. PATTERSON. TERMINAL BOX FOR TELEGRAPH GABLES. N0. Z92;848. Patented Feb. 5, 1884.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. R. PATTERSON.

TERMINAL BOX FOR TELEGRAPH GAB-LES.

No. 292,848. Patented Feb. 5, 1884.

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-frz/ v Ill I \REABG 2&7 xtnn senom B315: (Ema-rugs I Ilrurnn Sra'rns lVILLIAhI R. PATTERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNCR TC irIE VEST- ERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,848, dated February 5, 1884.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. Parrna son, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Terminal-Boxes for Telegraph-Cables, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. 1

My invention relates to terminals for telegraph-cables, and is designed to afford facili ties in small compass for connecting the wires of a cable with the outside or distributing wires.

The frame of my terminalbox may consist of two cast-iron pieces or brackets fixed to a board or connected by iron straps. This frame or supportis designed to be bolted or otherwise fastened to the telegraph-pole or side of a building. The cylindrical box is pivoted to eccentric hubs provided upon the brackets. The hub of the lower bracket should be hollow and large enough to admit the cable, and also to allow the distributing-wires to pass down through the opening outside the pipe of the cable. The case of the box is made of any suitable sheet metal, and consists of two longitudinal semi-cylindrical pieces, which may be opened and closed in front, turning upon the eccentric hubs or pivots pr vided upon the brackets or cast-iron disks of the frame. I also provide a fiap,which is hinged to one of the semi-cylindrical pieces, and adapted to close against the other piece, so as to securely close the joint at the rear between the two pieces of the case. "When the case is closed, one piece shuts over the other a little way in front. Thus the interior of the box is protected fromrain. I provide also a cap,whicl1 is adapted to close over the upper bracket or disk when the case is closed.

I will now describe, briefly, the lightningarresters and binding-posts and the system of distributing the wires from the cable within my box.

I arrange within my box strips of wood or other insulating material for the binding-posts, preferably four in all, twothat is, one pair of strips-for each of the semi-cylindrical pieces. .A. red, preferably of brass, is placed between elevation of my terminal-box closed.

each pair of strips. The wires are run from the cable to the binding-posts nearestthat is, to the bindingposts of the two strips near the cable on either side, right and left. Corresponding bindingposts of the pair of strips on a given side are connected by fine insulated wire,which is insulated, preferably,with silk. Each of the connecting-wires is wound two or three times around the intervening rod,which thus serves as a lightning-arrester. The wires are run from the last binding-posts outside the box, preferably through the lower l1ub,which is made hollow and large enough for this purpose.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof as seen from section .r of Fig. l. 3 shows the box open. Fig. 4 is a plan of the open box as seen from section indicated by line 3 y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the box closed.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout the several views.

The frame which supports the box consists of the cast-iron pieces a and I), attached to the straps c, and bolted to the telegraph-pole (Z. The lower disk or bracket, 1), is provided with the hollow eccentric hub c. The upper disk is provided with the hub or pivotf, which is arranged vertically above hub c of the lower disk. The cap 9 is adapted to shut over the top of the box, as shown in Fig. 1. The cable it passes into the box through the hollow hub, and is clamped, as shown, to the rear portion of the opening in the hub. The cable extends,preferably,toward the top or upper portion of the box. The semi-cylindrical pieces t 7; are pivoted to the hubs eccentrically, so that they may be opened or closed, as desired, and, moreover, maybe turned together either to the right or left. The piece i is provided with the strips Z m for binding-posts, and between these strips is plaeed the rod a. In like manner theinsulatingstrips 0 p and rod (1 are arranged in piece 7. The binding-posts, preferably of the form shown in my Patent No. 279,274, of June 12, 1883, are arranged in series upon the strips, as shown. Corresponding bindingpcsts of strips Z m are connected to gether by insulated wires. Each connectingwire is wound around the red at. In like manner the binding-posts of pieces 0 p are connected, the connecting-wires being wound around the rod q of the lightningarr-ester. The distributing-wires pass from binding-pests of strips m p out through the opening in the lower 'diskJ). The wires of the cable are severally connected with the binding-pests of strips Z 0. Thus the circuit of a wire may be traced from the cable to a binding-post, thence to the lightniug-arrester, and thence to a second binding-post, and thence by one of the distributingwires out to line.

I have found my terminal-box as thus described very useful where it is desired to distribute a large number of wires from a cable. A wire burned by lightning may be readily repaired by simply opening the box and putting a new piece between the binding-posts of tlie damaged line. The case, while open, may be turned partially around in either direction out of the sun or rain. The distributing-wires,

which pass in bunches from the lower ends of cated by r, and is hinged as shown.

I elain1- 1. Theconibination, in a terminal-box for telegraph-wires, of one or more pairs of strips provided with corresponding binding-p0sts, and a lightning-arrester rod between the strips of each pair, said strips and rod being substantially parallel, whereby the wires may be distributed, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the brackets, of the semi-cylindrical pieces, the pivots or hubs, one of said hubs being hollow, and the flap hinged to one of said cylindrical pieces,whereby the binding-posts and lightning-arresters are protected, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The cable extending toward the top of the case, in combination with the lightning-arresters and distriluiting-wires and the eecentrieally pivoted segmental semi cylindrical pieces, as and for the purpose specified.

a. The disks attached to the support, in combination with the parts ot'the case pivoted eccentrically, the pipe of the cable and distributing-wires passing through the hollow hub, and the pairs of strips for the liindingposts and thelightning-arresters, as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 28d day of June, A. D. 1883.

WILLIAM R. PATTERSON. Vitnesses:

GEORGE P. Biinrox, PAUL A. STAL'EY. 

